A Kenyan cult leader, accused of instructing followers to starve themselves to death, will be detained by police until a hearing on Friday. The court’s decision comes as investigators continue to search for more bodies in a forest where 101 corpses have already been discovered.
Kenyan authorities believe that the deceased were members of the Good News International Church, led by Paul Makenzi, 50, who had prophesied that the world would end on April 15. Mackenzie ordered his followers to take their own lives to be the first to ascend to heaven.
The death toll currently stands at 109, with 101 bodies, primarily children, discovered in mass graves, and eight individuals found alive who later died. The interior ministry revealed that over 400 people are still missing in the surrounding area.
President Felix Tshisekedi has declared a day of national mourning and appointed a commission of inquiry to investigate the tragic event, examining if administrative or intelligence lapses contributed to the deaths. In addition, a task force will review regulations governing religious organisations.
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